- TIMBERBIZ.COM.AU - A La Une - 08/Aug 00:13

Opinion: Chris Briggs – The Block for timber construction

In a world competing for impact and positive attention, we’re told to always promote your product’s positives and try not to make yourself look good by denigrating the competition and highlighting their weaknesses. The digital world though loves creating click bait and appealing to people’s concerns as opposed to their affirmations. Timber has taken the higher ground for years in terms of some real emotive negative lenses portrayed and promoted by competing materials. So, let’s set the record straight here… Timber is more fire predictable than steel – it doesn’t buckle in fire which happens quicker than charring of timber sections Timber is more thermally efficient than steel Timber is quieter than steel – it doesn’t go creak in the night with expansion and contraction due to temperature changes in the building Timber with H2F hazard class is termite resistant – a steel home is just as vulnerable as a timber home to overall termite damage throughout the fitout of the house such that the BCA requirements are no different Timber is forgiving in terms of onsite rectifications – trades know this, and they know that steel framing isn’t and that’s why they prefer installing timber frames and trusses Timber doesn’t corrode, buckle or creak in the night. And, whilst we’re setting the record straight, even though this opinion piece will probably be read by either already converted and the stalwart pro-timber ambassadors, The Block is claiming a meaningful focus on sustainability in its design and construction, and this is questionable in my opinion. The biggest ongoing positive impact that The Block could make if it was truly committed to sustainability over profit (from audience ratings) would be to insist that the five new builds this year were done with structural timber. The unbelievable sustainability focus that the show claims is besides the fact that every builder I speak with doesn’t respect or like the show in terms of how it portrays major renovations, or new home build projects. It shows unrealistic construction timelines, which translate to unreasonable pressure on trades, and an unhealthy client/builder relationship. Building a new home is such a big investment, emotionally and financially, and good reliable builders deal with this fact in their client journeys every day, so they don’t need the sensationalised drama of a “reality” show. However, along with the biggest emotional and financial investment, it’s also the biggest investment for positive climate change that a homeowner can make in their lives to insist on structural timber. I estimate that over the past 21 seasons of The Block, the show has constructed conservatively about 100 new home equivalents, as this is based on the fact that some years, the renovation was an existing apartment block structure and the detached house renovations were much larger than the average Aussie home footprint. Christine Briggs is the principal, Chris Briggs Consulting